Box-fastener.



e. c. u. MILLER.

BOX FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-25, I912.

Patented May 30,1916.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 2,? aw Y Gemye dfllfilier W 'By' Allow? ys L APH co.,WASHINGTON n c GEORGE C. D. MILLER, 01 NEW rrnp s 're rns rarnnr YORK,N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CARY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BOX-FASTENEIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed January 25, 1912. i Serial No. 673,302.

Fastener, of which the following is a specifiplate being provided withinclined and serto each other.

one form of construction,

cation.

In a prior patent granted to the assignee of this application, No.546,839, September 24, 1895, a box fastener of the general type of thisinvention is described and claimed. Practical use has developed the factthat said patented fastener has certain disadvantages, among which maybe mentioned, first, they are not entirely secure if driven with thegrain of the wood, and, second, the prongs cannot be twisted withoutundue or excessive wear on the operating tool owing to the large amount'of twist which must be given to the prongs.

The box fastener herein described and claimed overcomes thedisadvantages inherent in the structure of the prior patent, and to thisend it embodies a fastener the prongs of which are formed by firststamping out two series of tongues, both of which series, prior tobending, extend at an angle to the longitudinal medial line of thefastener, instead of parallel thereto as in the prior construction, andthen bending up said tongues, after which the bent up tongues are,preferably, twisted. The prongs of one series in are twisted in anopposite direction to those in the other serice, in contradistinction tothe prongs of the patented structure which are all twisted in the samedirection. By stamping out the tongues in the manner specified, they canbe twisted to the desired form, or operative position, by applying wasrequired in the prior construction. This not only expedites theoperation, and lessens the work on the twisting machine, but, also,produces a stronger prong, the excessive twisting of the prongs of theprior device having a tendency to wrench and weaken them.

In a preferred form of fastener, the respective end portions of theplate are bent and provided with teeth, each end of the rated edgeswhich are reversely positioned By providing the plate with less twistthereto than the reversely inclined and serrated lips, the fastener isadapted to be driven into the wood, either with or across the grainthereof, without a tendency of the prongs to bend or break off insteadof driving said prongs into the wood.

In the accompanying drawings, I haveillustrated different practicalembodiments of the invention, but the constructions shown therein are tobe understood as illustrative, only and not as defining the limits ofthe mvention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the metal blank illustrating the positions ofthe tongues when the blank is stamped or cut. Fig. 2 is a perspective ofthe embryo article after the tongues are bent at an angle to the plateand prior to twisting the tongues. Figs. 3 and 4 are views in plan andside elevation of the completed article. Figs. 5 and 6 are,respectively, a plan view and a perspective of the preferred form ofcorner strap for a box, crate, etc. Fig. 7 is a perspective view, partlyin section, of two fasteners, of the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6,applied to a box or crate. Fig. 8 is a perspective yiew of anotherembodiment of the invenlOIl.

The fastener consists of a single piece of metal, preferably sheetmetal, provided with peculiarly formed prongs B, G intogral with a plateA. The plate in Figs. 1 to a is shown as being oblong with curved endportions, although the shape and size are not material. The tongues orprongs are cut from the metal composing the plate, the tongues or prongsB of one group or series being positioned near one end portion of theplate, whereas the tongues or prongs C of the other group or series arenear the opposite end portion of the plate.

One of the novel features consists in positioning each tongue so thatthe medial line of the tongue is at an angle to the longitudinal medialline, indicated at X-Y, of the plate; in other words, each tongueis cutfrom the plate diagonally or obliquely thereto, instead of stamping thetongue parallel to the side edge of the plate, as in the priorconstruction disclosed in the patent to which reference has been made.

As shown in Fig. 1, each series or group comprises four tongues,although the numher is not material. The first tongue neare t I tion tothe the end of the plate is inclined in one direction toward one sideedge; the two next tongues are inclined in an opposite direction to thefirst tongue and toward the opposite side edge of the plate, and thefourth tongue is inclined in the same direction as the first tongue.This arrangement results in staggering the tongues, and permits them tobe grouped closely together without substantially weakening the metal ofthe plate.

The two groups or series of tongues are cut or stamped at one operation,each tongue being cut on four lines, two of which are parallel and twoconverging, but all the cuts are inclined or diagonal to the medial lineXY of the plate. The tongues are thus .joined to or integral at one endwith the plate.

After stamping or cutting, the tongues are bent at right angles to theplate, see Fig. 2, each tongue standing crosswise of the plate anddiagonally thereto, 2'. 6., the tongue is at an angle to the medial line"-1 of the plate. This operation of stamping the tongues and bendingthem as described, imparts a preliminary bend or twist thereto, andaccording to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and i, thefastener is subsequently completed by imparting a partial twist to eachprong which results from bending up the tongues from the plate.

As previously stated in connection with Figs. 8 and 4, the prongs arecompleted by applying to them a tool of a certain form, and operatingsaid tool to impart a partial twist to the prongs. By preliminarilytwisting the prongs, z. 6., cutting the tongues diagonally to the plateand bending them up at an angle to the plate, the work required to beperformed by the twisting tool is very materially reduced, and as aresult the work required to be performed to complete the article isaccomplished more expeditiously and economically, besides effecting aconsiderable saving in the friction and consequent wear on the twistingtool.

The prongs comprised in one group, say the group B, are twisted by thetool in one direction, say to the right hand, whereas the prongs in thegroup C are twisted in an op posite direction, or toward the left hand.It follows, therefore, that the two series or groups of prongs aretwisted in opposite directions'to each other, each prong being pointedso as to readily penetrate the wood.

A preferred form of construction is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein thefastener embodies the plate A, two series or groups of prongs B, (l, andserrated or toothed flanges D, E. The respective end edges of plate Aare beveled in two directions, at d, e, the bevel d being inclined in anopposite direcbevel c, said beveled ends d, 6, being toothed or serratedin the operation of cutting or stamping out the metal so as to producethe two series of tongues. The stamped or cut blank is then manipulatedby bending the tongues at an angle to the blank and by bending theinclined ends at an angle to the blank, thus producing the groups ofprongs and the serrated or toothed flanges. The serrated end flanges arere versely inclined to each other at each end of the blank. The prongsmay be left untwisted or twisted, as desired, after bending them at anangle to the plate. The inclined serrated end flanges and the groups ofprongs are adapted to be driven into the wood, either with or across thegrain, and

the presence of said end flanges enable the fastener to be secured inposition without a tendency of the prongs B, C to bend relative to theplate when securing the fastener in place.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings there is shown another embodiment of theinvention wherein untwisted prongs B, C and serrated flanges D, E areemployed on plate A. The plate is provided with square ends, 2'. c.,each end edge of the-plate is at a right angle to the side edges. Theseend edges are bent at an angle to the plate so as to result in serratedflanges, the length of each flange being at a right angle to the plate,in contradistinction to the beveled flanges of Figs. 5 and 6. Eachflange is provided with a se ries of teeth or serrations adapted to bematerial of the box or pack- .rlven into the ing case. The prongs areproduced in the plate between the serrated end flanges therel of, saidprongsbeing struck up from the plate, and positioned with relation tosaid plate as hereinbefore described, except that the prongs may or maynot be given a paru tia'l twist subsequently to bending them at a rightangle to the plate. The prongs occupy the diagonal relation to theplate, and they are arranged in groups or series as hereinbeforementioned, said prongs being somewhat longer than the teeth orserrations on the end flanges.

When the fastener is in position to be used, it is bent around thecorner of the box or packing case, as shown in Fig. 7 and the prongs andthe serrated flanges are driven into the material composing the case.The flanges and the diagonal prongs occupy different relative positionsto each other on the plate, and they operate efficiently in attachingthe plate to the box; in fact. it is impossible to dislodge the platefrom the box except by applying very considerable force.

The new fastener is so simple in construction as to be capable ofmanufacture economically and rapidly. It is easily and quickly applied,and such application is effected without bending the prongs during theoperation of driving them into the wood.

Having thus fully described the invenfastener comprising a tion, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. As a newarticle of manufacture, a fastener comprising a metal plate and groupsof bent prongs positioned adjacent to the respective end portions of theplate, each prong being cut from the metal of the plate within the edgesthereof so as to leave the side edges and the middle portion of theplate continuous and unbroken, all the prongs prior to bending beingpositioned diagonally to the medial line of the plate and certain of theprongs in each group being inclined and twisted in an opposite directionto the other prongs in the same group.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a fastener'comprising a metal platethe side edges and the middle part of which are unbroken, and groups ofbent prongs positioned adjacent to the respective end portions of saidplate, said prongs being cut from the metal composing the plateintermediate the edges thereof and each prong prior to bending it beingpositioned diagonally to the medial line of the plate, certain of theprongs of one group being twisted in an opposite direction to otherprongs of the other group.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a metal plate the side edges andmiddle part of which, are continuous and unbroken, and two groups ofbent prongs positioned adjacent to the respective end portions of theplate, each prong being cut from the metal of the plate so as to extendin a direction diagonally to the medial line of the plate and certainprongs in each group being inclined in an opposite direction to theother prongs in the same group, the prongs in each group being staggeredwith respect to each other and certain of said prongs of one group beingtwisted in an opposite direction to other prongs in the same group.

4. A box fastener comprising a plate pro vided with two groups or seriesof tongues, the medial lines of which are at an angle to thelongitudinal medial line of the plate,

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents said tongues beingbent at an angle to the plate, and certain of the tongues of one groupbeing twisted in one direction whereas the other tongues of the samegroup are twisted in an opposite direction.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a fastener comprising a metal platethe side edges and middle part of which are ungroups of prongs extendingin a direction diagonally to the medial line of the plate, some of theprongs of one group being twisted in an opposite direction to the otherprongs of the same group, and serrated flanges at the respective endedges of the plate, said serrated flanges being inclined to thelongitudinal axis of the plate.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a fastener comprising a metal platethe sides and middle parts of which are unbroken, groups of staggeredprongs near each end thereof, said prongs being formed from the plate bycutting the plate in a direction diagonally tothe medial line thereof,the prongs of each group being slightly twisted, some of which prongsare twisted in a di. rection opposite to other prongs to bring theirengaging points substantially parallel to the medial line of the'plate.

7. As a new articles of manufacture, a fastener comprising and middleparts of which are unbroken, groups of prongs arranged in staggeredrelation neareach end thereof, each group comprising a pair of prongscut from the plate in a direction diagonally to the medial line thereof,the intermediate pair of prongs of a group being twisted in a directionopposite to the remaining prongs of the same group to thereby presentthe engaging points of the entire group substantially broken,

' parallel to the medial line of the plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE C. D. MILLER.

Witnesses:

H. I. BERNHARD, J. F. MOTHERSHEAD.

each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

a metal plate the sides

